Toe spreader



NOV. 6, 1962 Q sc w z 3,062,206

TOE SPREADER Filed May 18, 1959 INVENTOR, C YRUS SCH wARrz; BY

/ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,062,206 TOE SPREADER Cyrus Schwartz, 727 S. Orange Grove Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed May 18, 1959, Ser. No. 813,866 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-81) The present invention relates to a chiropodial device.

Although the device of the invention is adaptable for many uses, an object of the present invention is to provide a device, in one of its adaptations, which may be turned and in so doing regulate the spacing between toes such as the great toe and the second toe. As generally understood, the phalanges of the great toe and the second toe may be separated so that the phalanges of the great toe are maintained in what is called a normal position which is essential in the treatment of bunion.

Another object is to provide a device which acts as an adapter for various and sundry purposes such as the placement thereof on a pencil or pen so that the fingers may grip the same without cramping.

Other objects include a device which is adaptable for the handles of water faucets, to keep from breaking or chipping various types of dishes when striking said handles; as insulation means for hot and cold faucets; as an insulator on wiring of lamps; as a means for use in removing caps from various bottles such as nail polish bottles and other types of screw type caps; which may be used on furniture, particularly the legs thereof, and other housewares for preventing scratching or marring of surfaces; which may be used as a tool holder and on the frames of glasses; and, in fact, can be used for other purposes which will readily suggest themselves to one using the device, although such uses are not specifically enumerated here.

Further objects include a device which is inexpensive in cost of manufacture, simple of structure, without parts likely to get out of order, and superior to devices for performing the objects heretofore mentioned.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectoinal view on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows an adaptation of the invention for chiropodial use, the foot and the toes being shown by dotted lines; and,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a sandal incorporating the device of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the device of the invention may be formed of any suitable material dictated by use whether it be rubber, wood, a plastic of some form, or metal. The device is pyramidal in form although the base 1 has a curved outline. In this sense it may be said that the device is either the frustum of or a truncated pyramid, or cone having flat lateral faces of different areas as best illustrated in FIGURE 2. Being a frustum of either a pyramid or cone as defined, the same has two bases one of which is shown at 1 and the other at 2 and the base 2 has lesser area than the base 1. The lateral faces of which there are three, are designated by the numerals 3, 4 and 5 wherein it will be observed upon reference to FIGURE 2 that the faces have different areas. In fact the three faces as shown in FIGURE 2, form a triangle with all angles unequal. Thus a section forms a scalene triangle although the faces do not intersect. In the forming of the device, what may be termed ribs 6, 7 and 8 extend between the two bases 1 and 2, and separate the faces. The device is provided with a bore 9 which extends between the bases 1 and 2 and is eccentric thereto.

Although the description just given for the device is my preferred form, it is of course within the scope of my invention to provide the faces 3, 4, and 5 in other than scalene triangle in cross section as the faces may form an equilateral triangle, an isosceles triangle, or a right triangle, with the hole 9 eccentric or concentric to the bases 1 and 2. If the hole 9 receives a fixed post 9a or other means, it is obvious that the device of the invention may be revolved to arrange the faces in certain positions. For instance, in FIGURE 2, the faces 3 and 4 form a type of wedge of less angularity than the faces 3 and 5 and the same is true for the angularity between the faces 4 and 5. In the adaptation of the invention for chiropodial purposes, the great toe 10 is separated from the second toe 11 and the device is so turned as to present the desired faces between the toes to cause the phalanges of the great toe to assume a normal position relative to the second toe.

In FIGURE 4 I have shown the invention in use with a sandal wherein the ankle strap 12 is secured to a thong 13 which extends from said strap to a position wherein it is received between the great toe and the second toe. The device may be revolved on the thong to position the desired angularly related faces thereof for separation of the toes. As illustrative of use of the device for several purposes, as enumerated for instance in the objects and particularly if the device is formed from flexible material, a pencil or a pen may be passed through the bore 9 with the fingers engaging the faces 3, 4 and 5. Obviously, the device may be rotated on the pencil to secure the best angularity between the faces for the fingers, the thumb engaging one face with the index and third finger engaging the other two faces. This provides a firm grip and one that will prevent cramp in the fingers during Writing.

I claim:

A toe spreader, comprising: a truncated pyramidal device having bases of substantially curved outline and provided with at least three lateral faces which form a scalene triangle in transverse cross section to provide lateral faces of different areas, there being an eccentric bore extending between the bases.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 109,755 Kelly May 17, 1938 D. 177,790 Bucknell May 29, 1956 508,298 Fulton Nov. 7, 1893 1,198,947 Murphy Sept. 16, 1916 1,930,413 Bruel Oct. 10, 1933 2,171,247 Strickland Aug. 29, 1939 2,751,693 Baker June 26, 1956 

